Sometimes, personal interest stories in magazines are incredibly ironic. When I saw this headline, "But I can’t Be Allergic to Cats", in the October 2009 issue of the magazine Coping with Allergies & Asthma, I just had to read the story.

The irony of the story is that feline-exclusive veterinarian Tami Groberg, DVM is allergic to cats.

“I used to get so sick in the beginning of my career, I couldn’t even talk,” remembers Dr. Groberg. “After years of increasingly bad symptoms and terrible sicknesses, I finally got the news that, ironically, I’m a veterinarian who’s allergic to cats.”

According to the article, Dr. Groberg is actually one of about 42 million Americans who have pet allergies. Of those allergy sufferers, 83 percent would never get rid of their pet, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.

Dr. Groberg and the magazine offer the following tips for pet owners with pet allergies:

• Create an allergy-free space in the bedroom. Keep the pets out of the room!
• Minimize wall-to-wall carpeting which is a haven for pet dander.
• Clean hard surfaces with a damp cloth or special dusting cloth.
• Replace filters in your HVAC system with high quality allergen filters
• Give your pet frequent baths. A special pet shampoo works the best, but you could try pet wipes.
• Wash your pet’s bedding regularly.

Another weapon in your arsenal is a new product that we are carrying called the FURminator. This is a pet brush that works to remove excess hair from your pet’s undercoat.